Last updated: 2026-10-10

RELIABILITY SCORE: 73/100 (GOOD)

2024 Nissan Versa Reliability Report

The 2024 Nissan Versa rates good, but it is the weakest Versa year, with owners reporting sudden power loss and limp mode, mostly in manual cars.

Full Breakdown Compare Models

Recalls

Complaints

Complaint Rate

21.4per 10,000 sold

Est. Repair Cost

$456

Annual Fuel Cost

$1,700–$2,000

Detailed Score Breakdown

Complaint Severity51/100

Component-weighted complaints normalized by sales volume

Repair Costs80/100

Independent repair cost ratings

Recall Impact88/100

Recall count weighted by severity

Issue Diversity88/100

Breadth of reported problem categories

The Verdict

Consider

First year of the third generation and the weakest Versa year, marked by early power-loss and limp-mode complaints, while the 2025 rates better.

Top Issues to Watch

POWER TRAIN (34)
ENGINE (23)
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM (11)

Generation & Refresh (US)

Redesign Year

2024 is the first model year of the Third generation (N18).

First-year models may have unresolved issues from the new design.
Redesigned for the 2024 model year.
Refreshed in 2024.
3rd generation Versa (US).

What this means for buyers

First-year models carry more risk — early production issues are common. Consider waiting for the second year if reliability is a priority.

Compare 2024 pricing and recall counts against 2025+ before deciding.

2024: Third generation (N18) Launch

Generation start — new platform.

Should You Buy the 2024 Nissan Versa?

Reliability is good, but this is the weakest of the five scored Versa years. Against other 2024 sedans, it lands close to average. It is also the first year of the third generation (N18). The 2025 model rates better, with excellent reliability, 9 complaints and no recalls.

The problem to know about is sudden loss of power. Manual owners describe limp mode after a stall, with speed held between 30 and 60 mph and usually no warning light. Reports start as early as 20 miles. Automatic owners describe CVT slipping, shudder and hesitation pulling away. Others say the car stops answering the gas pedal, often while merging, and some report near rear-end collisions. Dealers often cannot reproduce the fault. Separate complaints cover headlights and the heater fan dimming while cruising. There is one recall, for air bags.

Look at a 2025 first. If you want a 2024, ask for proof the air bag recall was completed and for any dealer visits about power loss. Test it on a highway on-ramp.

Compared to the 2025 Nissan Versa, which scored 8 points higher. See also the 2021 Nissan Versa for an earlier comparison.

Pros

+Acceptable reliability score
+Low major repair risk (10%)
+Low recall count

Cons

−Above-average complaint rate for Sedan
−POWER TRAIN: Sudden loss of acceleration dominates these reports (34 complaints)
−ENGINE: Limp mode after a stall is the main complaint, and nearly every report involves... (23 complaints)

Compare 2024 Nissan Versa With

2024 Toyota Corolla

Reliability: 81/100

Excellent

2024 Honda Civic

Reliability: 81/100

Excellent

2024 Hyundai Elantra

Reliability: 85/100

Excellent

2024 Kia Forte

Reliability: 78/100

Good

2024 Mazda 3

Reliability: 78/100

Good

Common Problem Categories

Safety

LOW RISK

1 manufacturer recall issued

Other

HIGH RISK

POWER TRAIN (34)
ENGINE (23)

See detailed breakdown by component ↓

Recall Overview

recall on record

The 2024 Nissan Versa carries 1 recall — a low count. Authorized dealers repair any open recall free of charge, regardless of warranty status.

NHTSA.gov →

Complaint Breakdown

21.4

per 10,000 sold

Segment avg: 5.4

LowAvgHigh

Moderate

Safety Incidents

Crashes

Fires

Injuries

Deaths

★★★★★

NHTSA 5/5 Stars

Data sourced from NHTSA complaint filings and manufacturer recall notices. Complaint narratives are owner-reported.

2024 Nissan Versa Recall Details

1 recall has been issued for the 2024 Nissan Versa. All recall repairs are performed free of charge at authorized dealerships.

24V1540002024-02-27

AIR BAGS

Nissan North America, Inc. (Nissan) is recalling certain 2024 Titan, Frontier, Infiniti QX60, Pathfinder, 2023-2024 Sentra, Versa, Kicks, Infiniti QX50, and 2023 Rogue vehicles. Due to a manufacturing issue, the driver's air bag inflator may absorb moisture, and cause the air bag to deploy improperly.

Consequence

An air bag that deploys improperly may not protect the driver as intended during a crash, increasing the risk of injury.

Remedy

Dealers will replace the front driver's air bag assembly, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed April 10, 2024. Owners may contact Nissan customer service at 1-800-867-7669. Nissan's numbers for this recall are PD103, PD104, and PMA34.

VIN History Report

Buying a used 2024 Nissan Versa? Check its history first

Power train problems lead owner complaints about the 2024 Nissan Versa, and 1 recall was issued for it. A VIN check shows whether this car's recall work was done, plus accident, title, and odometer history.

Accidents
Open Recalls
Title History
Odometer Rollback

2024 Nissan Versa NHTSA Safety Ratings

Overall Safety Rating

Crash Test Results by Configuration (expand)

Gas Powertrain

Driver: 4/5Passenger: 4/5

Rollover risk: 11.8%

Safety Technologies

Dynamic Head Restraints (Not Available)Head Restraint (Driver, Front Passenger, 2nd row)Advanced Belt Feature (Not Available)Seat Belt Pretensioners (Driver, Front Passenger, 2nd row)Seat Belt Load Limiters (Driver, Front Passenger, 2nd row)Adjustable Upper Belt Anchorage (Driver, Front Passenger)Seat Belt Reminder System (Driver, Front Passenger, 2nd row)Frontal Air Bag (Driver, Front Passenger)Head Protection (Driver, Front Passenger, 2nd row)Torso and/or Pelvis Protection (Driver, Front Passenger, 2nd row)Knee (Driver, Front Passenger)Additional Air Bags (N/A)Meets Side Air Bag Out-of-Position Requirements (Yes)LATCH Locations (2nd row)Safety Power Windows (Anti-Pinch) (Standard)Safety Power Windows (Anti-Pinch) locations (Driver)

View full safety data on NHTSA.gov →

Nissan VersaRepair Costs & Maintenance

Maintenance Rating

Based on NHTSA complaint patterns, recall severity, and publicly available cost benchmarks.

Est. Annual Maintenance

$456

vs $456 avg for subcompact cars

vs $652 avg for all vehicles

Repair Frequency

0.4

unscheduled repair visits per year

Severe Repair Probability

10%

chance of a major repair

Annual Cost Comparison

Versa

$456

Category Avg

$456

All Vehicles

$652

Category-level averages derived from publicly available industry reports (AAA, CarMD). Model-level estimates produced by Auto Reliability Index.

Nissan Versa Resale Value

The Nissan Versa is estimated to retain about 57.1% of its original value after 5 years, based on observed used-car listings.

This benchmark covers the Nissan Versa model overall and is not specific to the 2024 model year.

Value Retained: 57.1%
Depreciation: 42.9%
Listings Analyzed: 188

Listings observed in May 2021. This is a historical market benchmark, not a current price quote.

Explore Nissan Versa depreciation and resale value on CarResaleValue.com

MPG & Annual Running Costs

Gas

30–35 MPG

Running cost: $2,150–$2,450/yr

Fuel + repair

27–32 city / 35–40 hwy MPG

Running cost includes EPA fuel-cost estimate and independent repair-cost data (repair cost estimated at model level). Excludes routine maintenance, depreciation, and insurance. Data as of 2024 EPA label cycle.

Gas trims

Trim	Drive	Trans.	City	Hwy	Comb	Fuel Cost
Versa 1.6L 4-cyl	Front-Wheel Drive	Automatic (variable gear ratios)	32	40	35	$1,700
Versa 1.6L 4-cyl	Front-Wheel Drive	Manual 5-spd	27	35	30	$2,000

Used Buying Checklist

Key things to inspect or verify before purchasing a 2024 Nissan Versa.

On a manual car, stall it on purpose in an empty lot, restart, and check whether acceleration is sharply reduced.
Plug in an OBD-II scanner and look for stored or pending code P2615.
Accelerate up a highway on-ramp and confirm the car reaches traffic speed without revving and failing to pick up.
On an automatic car, pull away gently from several stops and feel for CVT shudder, slipping or hesitation.
Drive at night and watch whether the headlights dim while cruising and brighten when you accelerate.
With the engine warm, press the clutch halfway and listen for chirping or whirring.
Ask for service records showing repeat power-loss visits, a camshaft sensor replacement or a CVT replacement.
Close the hood firmly, then pull up on its edge to confirm the latch holds.

2024 Nissan Versa Common Problems by Component

91 owner complaints grouped by vehicle system.

POWER TRAIN (34)ENGINE (23)ELECTRICAL SYSTEM (11)VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL (9)UNKNOWN OR OTHER (7)LATCHES/LOCKS/LINKAGES (1)SERVICE BRAKES (1)AIR BAGS (1)Other (4)

POWER TRAIN

34 complaints

Sudden loss of acceleration dominates these reports. The engine revs but the car will not gain speed, often on highway on-ramps or hills, and usually no warning light comes on. Manual cars commonly drop into limp mode after a stall and stay near 20 to 30 mph until restarted. Automatic owners describe CVT slipping, shudder and hesitation when pulling away from a stop. A few hear clutch chirping or whirring near the bite point. Most cases start within the first few thousand miles, and dealers often cannot reproduce the fault. Losing power while merging raises the risk of a crash.

34 complaints total

ENGINE

23 complaints

Limp mode after a stall is the main complaint, and nearly every report involves the manual transmission. After a stalled engine is restarted, power drops sharply and top speed can be held to somewhere between 30 and 60 mph, usually with no warning light. Some owners pull a pending code P2615, a camshaft signal fault. A full shutdown, sometimes with the driver's door opened and closed, usually restores power. Reports begin within the first few hundred miles. One automatic owner describes two CVT failures. The main safety concern is being unable to merge or climb hills at traffic speed.

23 complaints total

ELECTRICAL SYSTEM

11 complaints

Reduced power after a stall appears here too. Acceleration turns weak, a check engine light sometimes comes on, and speed stays limited until the car is restarted. In one case a dealer replaced a camshaft sensor and the problem remained. A second pattern involves headlights and the heater fan dimming or slowing while cruising, then brightening when the driver accelerates. Nissan has called this a normal characteristic. Other reports describe surging fan speeds, dash warning lights coming on all at once, and hard starting. Headlights that dim at night are a visibility hazard.

11 complaints total

VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL (9 complaints)

VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL

9 complaints

These reports share one theme: the car will not accelerate. It stops responding to the gas pedal, sometimes after a stall and sometimes at random, and automatic cars are affected too. Speed often tops out around 25 to 40 mph. The engine may rev without the car speeding up, and no warning light appears. Waiting a few minutes or restarting usually clears it. Problems start very early, some within the first week of ownership, and dealers often find no codes. Owners describe near rear-end collisions while merging from ramps and pulling away from lights.

9 complaints total

UNKNOWN OR OTHER (7 complaints)

UNKNOWN OR OTHER

7 complaints

Power loss leads here as well. Cars refuse to go faster than 55 or 65 mph or hesitate when pulling away from a stop, sometimes right after delivery. One owner read code P2615, and clearing it helped only until the next episode. Other reports include jerky takeoffs, a car stopping in the middle of the road, and a knock from the rear under braking that gets worse over time. One report describes the hood latch failing on the interstate. The hood flew up and smashed the windshield, which is a serious crash hazard.

7 complaints total

LATCHES/LOCKS/LINKAGES (1 complaints)

LATCHES/LOCKS/LINKAGES

1 complaint

2024-10-01

The contact owns a 2024 Nissan Versa. The contact stated that while operating the vehicle, the trunk lid opened unexpectedly. While attempting to close the trunk lid the trunk lid, the trunk lid failed to remain closed. Several attempts were needed to securely close the trunk lid. The vehicle was taken to the local dealer who was unable to duplicate the failure. The cause of the failure was not yet determined. The manufacturer was not yet contacted or notified of the failure. The failure mileage was 5,000.

SERVICE BRAKES (1 complaints)

SERVICE BRAKES

1 complaint

2025-08-04

When making a left hand turn the left front brake will lock up an jerk the steering wheel

AIR BAGS (1 complaints)

AIR BAGS

1 complaint

2024-06-08

My airbag light is on and the delear wont fix the issue

STRUCTURE (1 complaints)

STRUCTURE

1 complaint

2025-07-27

My roof dents extremely easily and it seems after searching the internet this appears to be somewhat of a problem with this model and I am sure there is some type of pressure rating it should conform to to be safe? I had a pretty big dent appear out of nowhere one day on the car roof we noticed and not sure how it got there; like it just indented itself--no damage to paint, really looked like someone landed on it with their butt? I put just some relatively minor pressure on the roof to see about popping it out and dented it with my elbows when trying to test to pop it back out?

STEERING (1 complaints)

STEERING

1 complaintSafety-related

2025-03-28Crash reported

Rod, piston breaks and punctures tire after losing ability to steer, accelerate, brake. MANUFACTURER DEFECT/RECALL on stated parts not revealed until after car crashed. No test drive given. Car began experiencing horrible loud banging noise immediately after leaving dealership. WAS NOT OFFERED TO TEST DRIVE. Took to dealer next day to check problem (noise) and was told NOTHING IS WRONG after taking to dealer. On way home, experienced erratic steering, unable to keep stable on highway. Rounded corner and the automobile completely failed to steer, brake, tire punctured by rod come to find out, a known defect straight from manufacturer was problem. No apology. Dealer will not take back NEW vehicle despite customer fears, claims to have fixed problem but not the body of vehicle stating customer had to go elsewhere to fix body with NO OFFER OF REIMBURSEMENT FOR BODY WORK. No apologies for customer nearly escaping what could have easily been death as result of manufacturer defect. Purchased vehicle first without knowing of recall on part(s), was not informed of defect and if test drive was given, car would not have been taken by customer.

When Do 2024 Nissan Versa Problems Start?

Based on owner complaint patterns, here's when common issues tend to appear.

20–8,500 milesLimp mode after manual stall

1,000–3,000 milesSudden power loss while driving

Best & Worst Nissan Versa Years

Best Nissan Versa Years to Buy

Based on reliability index score

Top Pick

Good

Nissan Versa Years to Avoid

No Nissan Versa years are statistical outliers in our data.

Scores stay between 73 and 81 across 5 scored model years.

See full Nissan Versa years-to-avoid analysis

Nissan Versa Reliability Score Trend

Scores 0–100. Higher is better. Current year highlighted.

Nissan Versa reliability scores by year
Year	Score	Rating
2018	76/100	Good
2020	74/100	Good
2021	77/100	Good
2024	73/100	Good
2025	81/100	Excellent

Nissan Versa Reliability Compared to Other Years

Reliability scores compared across model years
Year	Score	vs Prior Year	Rating	Recalls	Complaints
2025	81/100	+8	Excellent	0	9
2024(selected)	73/100	-4	Good	1	91
2021	77/100	+3	Good	3	29
2020	74/100	-2	Good	2	60
2018	76/100	—	Good	5	55

Frequently Asked Questions

Is the 2024 Nissan Versa reliable?

Its reliability standing is good, and it is close to average among 2024 sedans. It is the weakest of the five scored Versa years, though. Owners report sudden power loss, and there is one air bag recall. The 2025 Versa rates better, with excellent reliability and fewer complaints.

What are the most common problems with the 2024 Nissan Versa?

Loss of power leads the list. Owners report limp mode after a stall, CVT slipping and shudder, and a car that stops responding to the gas pedal. Complaints about power train, engine, electrical system and vehicle speed control all describe it. Dimming headlights and a slowing heater fan also appear.

Does the 2024 Nissan Versa have limp mode problems?

Yes, mostly in manual cars. After a stall, power drops and speed can be held between 30 and 60 mph, usually with no warning light. Some owners see pending code P2615. Shutting the car off fully often restores power. Reports begin between 20 and 8,500 miles.

Has the 2024 Nissan Versa been recalled?

Federal recall records list one recall for the 2024 Versa, in the air bags area. The data here gives no further detail. Before buying, ask the seller for proof that the recall repair was completed, or check the VIN with Nissan.

Is the 2025 Nissan Versa more reliable than the 2024?

Yes. The 2025 rates excellent for reliability, with 9 complaints and no recalls, while the 2024 rates good and is the weakest Versa year. The 2025 has also had less time on the road to collect complaints, so treat the gap with some care.

Don’t buy a 2024 Nissan Versa without checking its VIN first — hidden accidents, title issues, and open recalls could cost you thousands.

Look Up a VIN →

How we score the 2024 Nissan Versa

Of the four inputs behind this score, the 2024 Nissan Versa does best on recall impact (88/100) and worst on complaint severity (51/100). Scores weight complaint severity at 35%, repair costs at 30%, recall impact at 20%, and the spread of complaints across systems at 15%, with complaint counts adjusted for US sales. Read the full methodology.

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